Display racks



Feb. 18, 1964 F. F. BRUNETTE 3,121,496

DISPLAY RAcKs Filed May v, 1962 gg .FIEL 30 F1554.

25A f Z5( UA 26 26 A 7' TOPNEYS United States Patent O 3,121,496 DESFLAY RACKS Fredrick F. Brunette, Farmington, Mich., assigner to lirilliant Products incorporated, Farmington, llviielm a corporation of Michigan Filed May 7, 1962, Ser. No. @2,725 Q Claims. (til. 2li- 126) The present invention relates to a rack for displaying merchandise and more particularly to the type of rack commonly used in self-serve supermarkets and the like to display featured canned goods and other items.

The modern emphasis on self-service type of retail stores has created a need for a strong, easily stored, portable display rack in which canned goods and other featured items can be placed to be picked Iup by shoppers. Because of the limited number of helpers with mechanical ability usually employed in such establishments it is important that such a dump rack, as they are commonly called, be capable of being completely assembled and disassembled without the need of special skills or tools. Racks now being used are assembled with clamps and bolts and thus require a great deal of time and effort each time a new display is to be set up. Since the number of items to be displayed luctuates from week to week, the number of racks needed will also vary and storage can be a problem unless the rack will knock down easily into a compact unit. Those used heretofore will not knock down without complete disassembly. Further, since canned goods are heavy such a rack must be quite strong.

lt is an object of the present invention to produce a display rack which can be completely assembled and disassembled without special skills or tools by providing baskets each having tubular framework which is slidably carried in the tubular framework of the basket below.

it is another object of the present invention to produce a display rack which can be stored in a small space by providing means permitting each basket of the rack to be inserted into a nesting position in the basket below it when the rack is disassembled.

lt is yet another object of the present invention to produce a display rack strong enough to hold large quantities of canned goods and other heavy items by providing a structure in which each basket is a part of the supporting structure ot the entire rack.

lt is still a further object of the present invention to produce a display rack which is adaptable for use in many different situations by providing means for increasing the number of baskets which can be used on such a rack without the need of screws, bolts or clamps.

Yet another object of the present invention is to increase the utility and life of a display rack by providing a construction which enables the rack to be assembled from a stock of interchangeable parts.

Yet other objects and advantages will readily occur to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains upon reference to the following drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which FlG. l is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating a rack provided with two baskets.

BZlAQh Patented Feb. 18, 1964 FlG. 2 is a side elevational view of the rack shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the rack illustrated in FiG. 4 but showing the rack in its knocked down form.

FlG. Ll is a side elevational View of the rack shown in FG. l but illustrating such a rack when a third basket has been added.

FIG. 5 is a lateral cross sectional view taken substantantially at line 5 5 of FIG. l, and

FlG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of structure taken substantially at line 6 6 of FlG. l.

l ow referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of the present invention, reference character l@ denotes a dump display rack comprising in general a bottom basket unit li and any desired number of top basket units l2. FIGS. l and 2` illustrate a rack lt? utilizing one top basket unit i2 and FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate such a rack when two top basket units l2 are used.

The bottom basket unit lll preferably comprises a wire basket il?) having a grilled bottom portion lle and grilled side walls 15A and front and back walls 15B and 15C respectively extending in planes which slope slightly outwardly from the bottom portion i4. A heavy wire support lo is secured to the basket i3 spaced from the walls lSA in a plane substantially parallel with the plane containing the bottom portion ifi. Tubular frame members i7 are secured to the wire support le in such a way as to tilt the forward portion of the basket 13 slightly downwardly from a plane normal to the trarne members 17 as can best be seen in FlG. 2t.

The tubular frame members i7 are carried on the support lo in a substantially upright position and are each provided `with a longitudinally extending hollow portion l. Each frame member i7 has a substantially S curved bent portion i9 and is provided with a wheel assembly 2d carried in the recessed portion i8 by any convenient means such as screws 2l. The curved portion 19 produces a broad base of support for the rack 1i?.

The ywheel assembly Ztl preferably comprises a fork member Z2 swivelingly carried in the tubular trarne member i7 and rotatably carrying a wheel 23.

The top basket units l2 as can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4 are each exactly alike and preferably comprise a basket member 2d having a bottom portion 24A, side walls 25A, a front wall 25B, a back wall 25C, and a wire support 25 substantially similar to baskets i3 and support lo. Straight tubular frame members Z7 are secured to the side walls 25A and the supports 26 in a parallel relationship and are positioned to tilt the front portion of the lbasket 23 slightly downwardly so that the bottom portions 24 are each in planes substantially parallel to the plane containing the bottom portion i4.

'he tubular frame members 27 are each provided with a tubular end member 23 of reduced cross section and which is dimensioned to slide into the longitudinal hollow portion i8 or a corresponding, tubular frame member 17 of the bottom basket unit ll or it more than one top basket unit is used into a longitudinally extending hollow portion 29 provided in the frame members 217. End caps 3d are provided for insertion in the hollow portion 29 of the uppermost top basket unit l2.

lt is not intended that the present invention be limited to the use of baskets since it is apparent that other types sa of shelves or containers could be used equally as satisactorily.

It is also apparent that the present invention provides a display rack which can be easily assembled and disassembled without requiring special tools or skills. Further the number of baskets carried on the rack can be varied by beginning with the bottom unit lli-l and including as many top baskets unit l2 as is desired. When the rack is to be disassembled for storage or shipping, this can be easily accomplished by beginning with the uppermost top unit 11 and removing each unit from the one below.

As can best be seen in FlG. 3 the basket units il. and 12 are so constructed that when the rack is disassembled each basket unit will nest in the unit below it, thus minimizing space requirements for shipping and sto-rage. This result is achieved by spacing the supports 26 from the sides of the baskets 13 and 23 and by constructing the baskets 13 and 23 with sidewalls which slope outwardly.

It is also apparent that the present invention produces a rack capable of withstanding the stresses caused by loading the baskets with heavy items such as canned goods. Each basket is a part of the support for the entire rack. Stresses are transmitted through basket units 11-12 to the four upright supports made up of the engaged tubular frame members of the units being used.

Although I have described but one embodiment of the present invention it is apparent that changes and modications can be made Iwithout depart-ing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A display rack for supermarkets and the like comprising (a) a bottom basket unit and a top basket unit,

(b) said basket runits each being provided with a plurality of substantially upright elongated frame niembers,

(c) sa-id frame members of said bottom basket unit being in axial alignment respectively with corresponding frame members of said top basket unit,

(d) each of said frame members of said top basket unit being provided with an end portion of reduced cross-section,

(e) each of said frame members of said bottom basket unit being provided with a recessed end portion adapted to axially receive said reduced end portion of the corresponding frame member `ot said top basket unit,

(f) said bottom basket unit comprising a wire basket having a oor portion and sidewalls each respectively extending in a plane which slopes outwardly from said floor portion,

(g) said frame members of said bottom basket being secured to said sidewalls,

(h) said top basket unit comprising `a wire basket having a lio-or portion and side Wails each respectively extending in a plane which slopes outwardly from said oor portion,

(i) -said -frame members of said top basket unit being secured to said sidewalls with each sloped with respect to said door portion of said basket and with the lower portions of said frame members being spaced from said sidewalls whereby when said basket units are disassembled said top basket unit will nest in said bottom basket.

2. A display rack for supermarkets and the like comprising (a) a bottom basket unit and a top basket unit,

(b) said basket units each being provided with a plurality of substantially upright elongated frame members,

(c) said frame members of said bottom basket unit being in axial alignment respectively with correspond ing frame members lof said top basket unit,

(d) each of said frame members of said top basket d unit being provided with `an end portion of reduced cross section,

(e) `each of said frame members of said bottom basket unit being provided with a recessed end portion adapted to axially receive said reduced end portion of the corresponding frame member of said top basket unit,

(f) each of said basket units comprising a wire basket having a floor portion yand sidewalls,

(g) each of said frame members of said top basket unit being respectively secured to said sidewalls at a point intermediate said floor portion and the top of said basket,

(h) said frame members of said top basket unit each being laterally loutwardly spaced from that portion of said respective sidewalls extending between said Hoor portion and 'said point at which said frame members are secured to said sidewalls whereby said top basket unit will partial-ly nest into said bottom basket unit upon disassembly of the frame members of :one of said basket un-its `from the `frame members of the other of said basket units.

3. The rack as defined in `claim 2 and including a second top basket unit carried by said first mentioned top basket unit and substantially similar thereto.

4. A display rack for supermarkets and the like comprising (a) `a bottom basket unit `and a top basket unit,

(b) said basket units each being provided with a plurality of substantially upright elongated trame members,

(c) said frame members of said bottom basket unit being in axial alignment respectively with correspondling frame members of said top basket unit,

(d) each `of said frame members of said top basket unit being provided with an end portion of reduced cross section,

(e) each of said frame members of said botto-m basket unit being provided with la recessed end portion adapted to axially receive said reduced end portion of the corresponding frame member of said top basket unit,

(f) said frame members of said top basket unit comprising a plurality of spaced substantially vertically extending strut members,

(lg) each of said strut members being parallel with each of the other strut members of said top basket tunit,

(lz) said top basket unit further comprising a wire basket having a floor portion and sidewalls, and

(i) said strut members being sloped from the plane of said iloor portion.

5. The rack as defined in claim 4 and including a second top basket unit removably carried by said rst mentioned top basket unit.

6. A rack comprising (a) a bottom container unit and a top container unit,

(b) said container units each being provided with a plurality of substantially vertically extending frame members,

(c) means removably securing said frame members of one oli` said container units to said frame members of said other container unit,

(d) said top container unit comprising a door portion and outwardly sloped sidewalls,

(e) said bottom container unit being provided with an open top, said iloor portion of said top container unit being of a smaller area Vthan said top and said frame members of said top container unit being secured to said sidewalls in a position with the lower portions of said frame members being laterally outwardly spaced from said sidewalls, whereby upon disassembly said top container unit will nest in said bottom container unit.

7. The rack as defined in claim l and in which said top basket unit is provided with means adapted for carrying a second top basket unit substantially similar to said rst mentioned top basket Unit.

8. The rack as dened in claim 2 and in which said top basket is provided with a wire member secured on the exterior of said sidewalls intermediate said fioor portion and the top of the basket and substantially parallel to the plane of said floor portion, said frame members beingT secured to said wire member whereby said wire member spaces said frame member laterally from said floor portion.

9. The rack as dened in claim 2 and in which the frame members of said bottom basket unit each comprises a substantially vertically extending strut member, said strut member having an S-shaped, outwardly bent portion below said floor portion, and a castor secured to the end of said strut member below said oor portion.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 893,786 Collis July 21, 1908 2,916,161 Schaefer Dec. 8, 1959 2,931,535 Lockwood Apr. 5, 1960 3,007,708 Ochs Nov. 7, 1961 

1. A DISPLAY RACK FOR SUPERMARKETS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING (A) A BOTTOM BASKET UNIT AND A TOP BASKET UNIT, (B) SAID BASKET UNITS EACH BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT ELONGATED FRAME MEMBERS, (C) SAID FRAME MEMBERS OF SAID BOTTOM BASKET UNIT BEING IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT RESPECTIVELY WITH CORRESPONDING FRAME MEMBERS OF SAID TOP BASKET UNIT, (D) EACH OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS OF SAID TOP BASKET UNIT BEING PROVIDED WITH AN END PORTION OF REDUCED CROSS-SECTION, (E) EACH OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS OF SAID BOTTOM BASKET UNIT BEING PROVIDED WITH A RECESSED END PORTION ADAPTED TO AXIALLY RECEIVE SAID REDUCED END PORTION OF THE CORRESPONDING FRAME MEMBER OF SAID TOP BASKET UNIT, (F) SAID BOTTOM BASKET UNIT COMPRISING A WIRE BASKET HAVING A FLOOR PORTION AND SIDEWALLS EACH RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING IN A PLANE WHICH SLOPES OUTWARDLY FROM SAID FLOOR PORTION, (G) SAID FRAME MEMBERS OF SAID BOTTOM BASKET BEING SECURED TO SAID SIDEWALLS, (H) SAID TOP BASKET UNIT COMPRISING A WIRE BASKET HAVING A FLOOR PORTION AND SIDE WALLS EACH RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING IN A PLANE WHICH SLOPES OUTWARDLY FROM SAID FLOOR PORTION, (I) SAID FRAME MEMBERS OF SAID TOP BASKET UNIT BEING SECURED TO SAID SIDEWALLS WITH EACH SLOPED WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLOOR PORTION OF SAID BASKET AND WITH THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS BEING SPACED FROM SAID SIDEWALLS WHEREBY WHEN SAID BASKET UNITS ARE DISASSEMBLED SAID TOP BASKET UNIT WILL NEST IN SAID BOTTOM BASKET. 